Prevalence and Triggering Factors of Headache among Jordanian Adolescents in Al-Mafraq Region

AIMS: This study evaluates the epidemiology of headache and migraine among adolescents aged 12 to 15. METHODS: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted to collect and analyze data from students in grades 7–10 over the course of one month, using a simple random sampling method. The overall number of participants in this study was 692, with an average age of 13.9 years (SD = 1.3). Descriptive measures and Fisher's exact test were computed. Multivariate regression was calculated to assess the predictors of headache and migraine. Findings. Approximately one-half of the students reported having headaches: tension-type headaches (10.3%), migraines (4.8%), and other headache types (31.5%). Moreover, girl students in the age group of 14-15 reported more headaches and migraines. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of headache and migraine in Jordan is high and increasing as students grow older. Health education programs led by school nurses and other healthcare practitioners are urgently needed.